I need advice on big freight car purchase

[Anonymous]

Well its big for my budget! I would like to purchase about 20-30 freight cars.To save money Id like to get something that I could pull behind both a Santa Fe F7 or a UP Big Boy.Is there anything that both pulled in the 50's.I was thinking of somthing like 40foot boxcars.Could you suggest a specific kit that I could get.The Athearn kits are inexpensive,or maybe Accurail.Thanks for any help!!

[underworld]

I would look at a train show. There is usually a great variety and you can often pick up used cars for a few dollars each.

underworld

aka The Violet

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[GN-Rick]

I would suggest Accurail. 40-foot boxcars are good for both locos. Also, Athearn
steel ice bunker reefers are appropriate as well-even a few wooden ones. 50-ton
2-bay open hoppers work well as do Intermountain, P2K or Athearn tank cars.
40 to 50 foot flats are good as well. Hope this is moderately helpful to you.

[nfmisso]

Accurail; take a look on thier website, they provide you with dates.

http://www.accurail.com/accurail/

[Anonymous]

Tim, you might want to buy a copy of The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Cars by Jeff Wilson to learn to pick the correct cars for your era.
You could get a used copy for the cost of a kit. Or get a new copy at a discount and also get The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Yards by Andy Sperandeo (or any other book that is eligible) and take advantage of free shipping.

(click on highlighted words for links)

[Budliner]

proto 2000 has kits I paid $5 each at a show I got over 20-

[RedGrey62]

I would highly recommend the Accurail boxcars or reefers. You can also get number sets from them so you can change up road numbers.

Rick

[twhite]

I'd go with some of the other posters on Accurail--they make excellent steam/diesel era freight cars (mainly box, hopper, reefer and automobile) that are just right for that era, and extremely well-detailed for the price. I'd also look for Athearn single 40' tank and 40-50' flatcars, and if your'e not afraid of the price, Red Caboose makes a terrific drop-bottom gondola of that era. Proto 2000 makes some Mather box cars that are perfect, and for cabeese, Roundhouse (now Athearn) and Walthers have a good selection of roadnames and types. Also, don't ignore the Branchline "Yardmaster" series of boxcar kits--well detailed and easy to put together.
Actually, the late-steam/early diesel era is really well represented by current freight cars in both RTR and kits. Have fun. I know I do!
Tom [:D]

[tstage]

Tim,

For the money, I'd go with the Accurails. Simple to put together and nice looking cars. They are, however, limited to boxcars and hoppers. IMO, the Accurail wood and wood-end boxcars are exceptional!

Proto 2000 kits are VERY nice but come with many small and detailed parts on it. You'll spend a lot more time putting on of theirs together than you will an Accurail.

I also agree with Tom (twhite) about the Branchline. The Blueprint series is more nicely detailed than their Yardmaster series.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Acurails are great kits. I only own a couple but like the ones i have. That have finer detail than their athearn and roundhouse counterparts. They are easy to put together and not too expensive. (although i've got all my acurail stuff used).

I also like athearns and roundhouses (now owned by athearn). They dont have as good of detail i feel, but are still nice cars and are all easy to put together. I have a ton of both, many of which i have picked up used. they can usualy be found relitivly cheep at train shows.

As for others i really cant say too much. P2Ks and Branchline blueprint kits are great, but a LOT more work to put together, and a good bit more expensive.

All in all theres a lot of options, and i would not stick to one brand, but instead get a good mix.
... just my thoughts
~matt

[Anonymous]

For your era don't forget to get at least one caboose [8D]

[jeffers_mz]

Riveted tak cars fit the bill, but I can't reccommend P2K kits for this. Myriad tiny grab irons and other details, fit holes bored too small for them to fit, and they're made of very soft plastic, not a fun combination.

For a bulk purchase, I'd look at a show, or go with blue box kits.

[tstage]

The Proto 2000 tankers, in particular, are a challenge to put together. (It usually takes me about 4-5 hours.) But, once you've done one of them, believe it or not, they do get "easier".

The key to do them is to have the right tool for the right job. Needle-nose and broadnose tweezers and flush or sprue cutters is a must, as well as a magnify head visor. Even if your vision is still 20-20, a magnify head visor will help greatly. Ooo, forgot to mention a good task light. [tup]

Tom

[Anonymous]

Don't forget Bowser boxcars and flats, they're easy to assemble. Depending on how prototypical you're going to get, avoid athearn tank cars, no prototype. P2k tanks,while daunting at first are easy after the first one.Accurails hoppers are good,especially their new triple hopper, also stewart hoppers are nice. Accurails boxcars are better than athearns(nicer doors),but both use liberties with road names.

[csmith9474]

REEFERS!!!!

[Anonymous]

Do accurail kits have metal wheels?

[Ibflattop]

Get ya some Athearns and Accurails if ya want easy. Kevin

[Piedsou]

Speaking strickly about 40' boxcars:

For the price, detail and number of road names available, you can't beat Branchline 'Yardmaster" cars. They are simple to assemble.
Their "Blueprint cars are more expensive, more difficult to assemble, but have complete detail and a large number of road names.
http://www.branchline-trains.com/yardmaster/40steel_boxcar.htm

I personally would not purchase Athearn, but to each his own. The 'blue box' Athearn kits are 1950's technology and have never been upgraded. They also have a limited number of road names available. They are now almost as expensive as Branchline and in my opinion you get a lot less for the difference in price. The Athearn are fine, if you don't care too much about appearance.

The Accurail cars are also much better in looks than the Athearn and would be a good choice.

Kadee, Red Caboose and Intermountain also make appropriate cars for the 1950's. They are extremely detailed but are much more expensive for that reason. The Kadees are RTR while the others are available in RTR and kit form.

All of these cars can be purchased at less than retail at train shows and at online dealers such as M.B. Kliens.

[Chris_S68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gsetter

Tim, you might want to buy a copy of The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Cars by Jeff Wilson to learn to pick the correct cars for your era.
You could get a used copy for the cost of a kit. Or get a new copy at a discount and also get The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Yards by Andy Sperandeo (or any other book that is eligible) and take advantage of free shipping.

(click on highlighted words for links)

Not to hijack the thread, but I have a question:
I've got some projects in mind, though the era would be the 1980s-1990s. Does The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Cars, or any other book, contain scale drawings of various cars? Rather than searching through who-knows how many back-issues of MR, it would be handy to have something similar to the Locomotive 'Cylopdedias, but for rolling stock.

Thanks!
Chris

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dingoix

Do accurail kits have metal wheels?

Dingoix,

No. They come with the plastic wheels. I toss 'em and put in the Proto 2000 33" wheels instead.

Tom

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chris_S68

....I've got some projects in mind, though the era would be the 1980s-1990s. Does The Model Railroader's Guide to Freight Cars, or any other book, contain scale drawings of various cars? .... it would be handy to have something similar to the Locomotive 'Cylopdedias, but for rolling stock. Thanks! Chris

Chris there is The Car & Locomotive Cyclopedia: 1997 (Hardcover) but unfortunately it's $175.
The M.R. Guide to Freight Cars does not have a list of every car made and when it was built, used and scraped.
It does gives a brief history and evolution from W.W.I to 2005 for common freight cars. It covers boxcars, tank cars, covered hoppers, reefers. hoppers & gons, flatcars, intermodal and car components. For $20 or less, I think it will serve the purpose you want.
Another alternative would be to search for a historical society of the prototype railroad you want to model. Usually you will find equipment unique to the railroad. For example the Southern had tobacco cars.
Videos are another good resource.

[Anonymous]

I believe I've come to a decision! I'm going to get Athearn 40' boxcars for the Santa Fe freight F7AB to pull.They make a steam era one that looks good.10 or 12 of these for$5.42 each aint bad.I'll wait to get something for my Athearn Genesis Big Boy when I get one.Probably go with hoppers.Does anyone know which Athearn or Accurail kit would be of the right era?34footers?Does anyone know what can be done to upgrade the Athearn blue box kits??Thanks for all the responses guys.